Cameron Apologizes for 'Bloody Sunday'

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

British Prime Minister David Cameron has apologized, on behalf of his country and its government, for 'Bloody Sunday."

A commission investigating the incident, where thirteen Irish demonstrators killed, has concluded that the British Army acted wrongly in firing on the unarmed crowd marching in Londonderry, in Northern Ireland, on January 30, 1972. Cameron says the report also finds that the British Army fired first on the crowd, without justification.

The commission, known as The Bloody Sunday Inquiry, was formed to investigate the incident by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in 1998. According to the BBC, 2,500 witness were interviewed during the 12 year investigation, which cost 195 million. The commission released its findings today.

Cameron, who was just six years old at the time of the incident, issued an apology before Parliament. "The conclusions of this report are absolutely clear," he said. "There is no doubt, there is nothing equivocal, there are no ambiguities. What happened on Bloody Sunday was both unjustified and unjustifiable. It was wrong."

He added that although some soldiers of the army acted wrongly, it is ultimately the government that is responsible. "And for that, on behalf of the government, indeed, on behalf of the country, I am deeply sorry," he said.